My Sex Surrogate and Me
Marie Claire - UK|May 2016

Would you sleep with a stranger to save your sex life? Alix Fox explores the ultimate ‘hands-on’ therapy.

Alix Fox
My Sex Surrogate and Me

EMMA * , 26, LIES BACK ON A PURPLE duvet, naked, legs spread wide apart. A man in his fifties stands at the foot of the bed, his erection poised. It’s the moment Emma has been waiting for. She feels secure; relaxed; a mixture of reassured calmness and electric excitement. She takes a deep breath, and says, ‘Come inside me.’ He gently eases into her, then pauses. ‘How do you feel?’ he asks. She laughs with relief, and answers, ‘Good.’

Though the room is cosy and the situation intimate, Emma isn’t about to have sex with her boyfriend or a casual date. The man with her is her sex surrogate.

A ‘sex surrogate’ is a professionally trained sex partner, who charges between £100-£200 an hour to practise intimate physical contact with clients – including penetration if necessary – to help them work through sexual problems that prevent them from engaging in healthy sexual relationships.

Clients’ issues can be the result of past sexual abuse; toxic relationships; affairs or even dealing with trauma following difficult births. Some clients are adult virgins; others can lack confidence due to hang-ups about their physical appearance.

‘The process is usually supported by a psychotherapist, who carefully discusses the client’s emotions after each session, addressing issues of the mind and body,’ explains London-based sexologist Mike Lousada, 48.

Of the 1,000 people Lousada has counselled throughout his career, he has acted as a surrogate to 25.

Denne historien er fra May 2016-utgaven av Marie Claire - UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra May 2016-utgaven av Marie Claire - UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA MARIE CLAIRE - UKSe alt
Uma Thurman
Marie Claire - UK

Uma Thurman

‘I Managed To Stay In The Business That I Love All My Life, And I Know That’s Not A Given. I Can’t Not Feel Lucky About It, No Matter What The Downsides Can Be’.

time-read
8 mins  |
November 2019
Pollution Proof Your Life
Marie Claire - UK

Pollution Proof Your Life

From your daily commute to your wood-burning stove, you’re unwittingly inhaling a variety of toxic substances. But you can take action to reduce their impact, reveals Claire Thorp.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2019
We Love Lucy
Marie Claire - UK

We Love Lucy

From a star-making turn in Bohemian Rhapsody to a leading role in sassy new Netflix show The Politician, Lucy Boynton is ready for her close-up. Here, she tells Jane Mulkerrins about her life-changing year.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2019
Human Touch
Marie Claire - UK

Human Touch

Connecting with others can have a confidence-boosting effect, support skin health and help you live longer. Here’s why the wonders of physical contact really matter...

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2019
Facing The Floods
Marie Claire - UK

Facing The Floods

Photographer Gideon Mendel has spent 12 years capturing the extreme rise in flooding across the globe. Here, he tells Marie Claire about the devastating human impact.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2019
'Learn How To Please Yourself First' –and Other Sex Tips From Our Mums
Marie Claire - UK

'Learn How To Please Yourself First' –and Other Sex Tips From Our Mums

Three mothers and daughters explain how talking openly to each other about sex, identity and pleasure has strengthened their relationship and enriched their love lives

time-read
9 mins  |
September 2019
10 Mindful Ways To Approach Health And Well-Being
Marie Claire - UK

10 Mindful Ways To Approach Health And Well-Being

From cortisol-free fitness to stress-busting diets and calm skin, Fiona Embleton reveals ten mindful ways to approach health and well-being

time-read
6 mins  |
May 2019
Sex Crimes on Campus
Marie Claire - UK

Sex Crimes on Campus

This month, thousands of female students will head for university, but many will become the victims of sexual assault and harassment.Polly Dunbar investigates the alarming rise of college rape culture.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2016
Fight The Fear
Marie Claire - UK

Fight The Fear

Approximately ten million people in the UK suffer with a debilitating phobia. When Charlotte Haigh’s fear of flying threatened to damage her mental health, she took action…

time-read
6 mins  |
December 2017
Celine Dion
Marie Claire - UK

Celine Dion

‘Growing Up, I Used to Feel Awkward and Insecure. I Remember Not Feeling or Looking My Best’

time-read
8 mins  |
December 2017